18 June
Media Release

Worry about crime keeps Kiwis awake at night.
 
Crime is the number one thing keeping Kiwis awake at night.  A survey just released, found 51% of New Zealanders saw rising crime rates as the issue that worried them most.  That’s 19 points ahead of Australians where a similar survey showed only 32% are worried by rising crime.

The findings from ‘Eye on New Zealand’, G2’s latest research, show the elderly are the most anxious about crime with 67% picking it as their main worry. 

G2 is part of Grey Group, one of the world’s largest advertising agencies and it’s “Eye on New Zealand’ project surveyed New Zealanders’ attitudes on a range of topics.   It not only found that crime keeps us awake at night but that it is seen as one of the top four issues facing the country in the next five years. 

Participants ranked affordable housing as the biggest issue at 17% but that was followed by  crime and violence, the cost of living and petrol prices all on 13%.

Sensible Sentencing spokesperson Garth McVicor says the statistics confirm what his organisation has long believed, that Kiwis are increasingly worried about rising crime.  “Crime is hugely worrying to all New Zealanders”  he says.

Garth McVicor says the level of anxiety raised in the survey is more than just a perception.  “This is reality.  People come up to me and shake my hand and say thank you for saying what we all feel.  They want something done about it.” 

He says the G2 research has a serious message politicians must listen to.   “I have no doubt New Zealand is at a tipping point and the party that picks up on the serious concerns people have on violence will take the next election.”

Responding to the figures that show Australians are far less worried about crime, Mr McVicor says Australia has taken steps to deal with the underlying causes of crime.  He says “I’m confident we can deal with the problem here if any government has the courage and balls to deal with it.”

The G2 “Eye on New Zealand’ survey was conducted in March this year, before the current spate of violence in Auckland.  The research was carried out by Australian company, Sweeney Research and G2 uses the findings to advise clients on marketing strategies.

Full details on research findings attached

For more information please contact
Suzanne McNamara
Convergence Communications
021 933 331
suzanne@conv.co.nz

Editors note:

G2 is part of Grey Global Group, one of the world’s largest advertising agencies with offices in 83 countries around the globe. The research findings are used to advise clients on potential marketing strategies.

The sample is drawn from an internet research panel with over 125,000 NZ members. Samples are screened for eligibility, duplications and to ensure that they are representative. The sample size of 500 which was chosen to ensure a cross-section of New Zealand provides confidence in the conclusions reached but does not allow for detailed analysis for smaller subpopulations. It does allow breakdowns by age, gender and four locations.

The surveying was carried out by well-known Australian survey company Sweeney Research, who has over 30 years of research experience. http://www.sweeneyresearch.com.au/

Full findings 

51% of New Zealanders say they are very worried by rising crime rates.   The most worried about crime are pre- Baby Boomers (67%)
This compares with 32% of Australians who were asked the same question.  Australians are most worried about money with 45% picking personal finances as the thing that kept them awake at night. 
What kept us awake at night was –

51%     rising crime rates
45%   Home affordability
44%   personal finances
40%   enough money for retirement.

Australian figures for “What keeps us awake at night”

45%     personal finances
44%     home affordability
42%     enough money for retirement
36%     family
32%     rising crime rates

When asked what was the major issue facing New Zealand in the next five years, 17 percent surveyed listed affordable housing.  Crime and violence was listed by 13% along with cost of living and petrol prices also registering 13%.

ends

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